Student Name: Tai Zi Jun Student Number: 18078 Class: S2HE

Topic: SPM Chemistry (Form 5) - Chapter 5: Chemicals for Consumers (Worksheet 02)
Date: 12-9-2022

SPM Chemistry (Form 5) - Chapter 5: Chemicals for Consumers (Worksheet 02)

Detergents
1. Detergents are synthetic cleansing agents made from petroleum products. Thus, detergents
are petrochemicals.
2. Detergents can be classified into three main types, depending on the charge on the detergent
ion.
a. Anionic detergents where the head of the detergent particle contains a negatively
charged ion.
b. Cationic detergents where the head of the detergent particle contains a positively
charged ion.
c. Non-ionic detergents - Example: R–O–CH2CH2OH
3. The detergent, sodium alkyl sulphate can be prepared from alcohols with chain lengths of
12 to 18 carbon atoms in two steps.
a. Step 1 - Reaction with concentrated sulphuric acid.

b. Step 2 - Neutralisation with sodium hydroxide solution.

4. Examples of a long chain alcohol is lauryl alcohol (dodecan-1-ol), CH3(CH2)10CH2OH. The

detergent prepared from dodecan-1-ol is called sodium dodecyl sulphate (IUPAC name) or
sodium lauryl sulphate (common name), CH3(CH2)10CH2O-SO3–Na+.
5. When a detergent is dissolved in water, it dissociates to form sodium ions and detergent
ions.
a. The ‘head’ is the sulphate group (–OSO3–) which is negatively-charged and
hydrophilic (dissolves readily in water but not in oils and grease).
b. The ‘tail’ is the long hydrocarbon chain, which is neutral and hydrophobic
(dissolves readily in oils and grease but not in water).